Hybrid diesel electric vehicles, such as hybrid diesel electric locomotives, for example, include an energy storage system with several energy storage devices (i.e. batteries). These energy storage devices are typically utilized to store secondary electric energy during a dynamic braking mode, when the traction motors generate excess electrical energy which may be stored, or during a motoring mode, when the locomotive engine produces excess electrical energy which may be stored. Each locomotive typically includes many energy storage devices, such as between ten to fifty, for example, where each energy storage device is a large massive body including several hundred individual cells combined together, and each amounting to several hundred pounds in weight.
A conventional non-hybrid locomotive 1200 is illustrated in FIG. 18, and includes a pair of walkways 1202,1204 extending the length of the locomotive and along respective opposing sides 1206,1208 of the locomotive 1200. Additionally, a pair of I beams 1210,1212 are illustratively positioned beneath and between the respective pair of walkways 1202,1204. The I beams 1210,1212 typically support the whole locomotive 1200 and the walkways 1202,1204, and further transmit force through the locomotive 1200. The pair of I beams 1210,1212 assist in forming an air duct 1213 between the pair of I beams 1210,1212 and extend the length of the locomotive 1200. However, the air duct 1213 may not extend the entire length of the locomotive, and instead extend a significant length of the locomotive. The air duct 1213 carrier the cooling air required to cool several pieces of equipment on the locomotive, such as traction motors, for example. A plurality of air pipes 1214 are positioned beneath one of the walkways 1202, and each air pipe passes compressed air to a locomotive braking system or train braking system. Additionally, a plurality of electric cables 1216 are positioned beneath the other walkway 1204 of the pair of walkways 1202,1204, and each electric cable passes electric current to cables extending along the train or within the locomotive, such as traction motor cables, for example.
Accordingly, it would be advantageous to provide a system to position a plurality of energy storage devices and its associated high/low voltage electrical and fiber optic cables (herein after called hybrid cables) on a locomotive, in which the air pipes and electric cables are repositioned to maximize the available space for the energy storage devices and hybrid cables, and to segregate the regions for the air pipes/electric cables and the energy storage devices and hybrid cables, to account for their varying operating characteristics during normal operation of the locomotive.
It will be advantageous to have the plurality of energy storage devices or sets of the plurality of energy storage devices which are electrically connected to be located in a contiguous space so as to provide ease of connections, maintenance, diagnostics and also to provide separation of high voltage connections, cooling system connections, etc. Such an available contiguous space for providing a large number of heavy and large energy storage devices is limited. It will also be advantageous not to move other equipment for design ease, maintenance/familiarity. An example of one such possible space is underneath the walkway.